stellwag-en



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E. J. 'STBLLWAGBN SPONGB CUP.

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E. J. STELLWAGEN.

SPONGE CUP.

No. 246,044. Patsnted Aug. 23,1881.

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E. J. S'FE'LLWAGEN.

SPONGB CUP.

No. 246,044. Patented Aug. 23,1881.

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SPONGE-CUP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No). 246,044, dated August 23, 1881.

Application filed March 1, 1881.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD' J. STELLWA- GEN, of Washington city, in the District of Columbia, have invented an Improved Article of Desk-Furniture, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a device for office use capable of being used as a pen-rack, pen-wiper, stamp and envelope moistener, and paper-weight, and which can be made either ornamental or grotesque, to suit the taste of the public. With this object in View a representation of a headpreferably ahuman head--has been selected as the frame or body ot' the apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings,Figurelrep resents my device in the form of a negros head secured upon a tray, with inkstands on either side. Fig. 2 shows a representation of a clown7s head supported upon a base so that it can be used as a paper-weight. Fig. 3 is a section through the head. Figa is a detached view of the plate to which the eyes are secured. Fig. 5 is a detached view of the tongue of the apparatus, and Fig. Gis another section through the head, showing a modified construction.

The ears constitute the pen-rack, and are made sufticiently large to easilyT hold the penholders. rlhe ear may be made elastic, but it would be cheaper,and perhaps better, to make it rigid and place an elastic cushion on the side of the head to properly7 support the pen-holder.

The headiscomposed oftwoparts,Aa,which may be cast from any suitable material. The upper part, e, is cup-shaped,for the reception of a sponge to serve as a pen-wiper, and is held in place by small lugs a in front and a springcatch, c2, behind, but it might be secured in manyl different ways.

The eyes are secured upon the forward end ot' a plate, B, which is pivoted upon a pin, b, which passes through the eyes and has its bearings in the temples of the head. The eyes have openings c through them, to which the corrugations or grooves b in the upper surface of the plate B converge. A sponge saturated with water is placed in the cavity ofthe head, between the cup a and the plate B.

The tongue I) is composed ot some stiii' material, and has on its upper surface a cover of sponge, felt, or other soft absorbent. It is connected by a sliding joint at its inner end (No model. i

with a lever,E, which rests against an inward projection,F, at the hase of the skull, and supports the plate B, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. This lever is operated by a thumb-piece, Gr, at the side ot' the neck. The effect ot' throwing the lever E forward is to shoot out the tongue, roll down the eyes, compress the wet sponge, and cause water to run out of the eyes down the face onto the tongue, the face being so` shaped as to conduct the water to it. The-i tongue thus wetted is used for moistening stamps, envelopes, &c. i

In Fig. 6 I have shown a siightly-modiiied 65 construction, in which the tongneis thrust out by an independent thumb-piece, G, and lever g, the leverE in this instance being curved,as shown. By this construction the tongue can be kept out and the water for moistening it supplied as desired by compressing the sponge by the lever E.

Vhen the head is designed for a paperweight, as shown in Fig.2, the base should be suitably weighted.

Instead of perforating the eyes, as shown, the water might be made to issue from around the eye, or it might issue from the nostril, or some point within the mouth, and the plateB, instead of being corrugated, as shown, might be made concave, with a channel leading to each eye.

The base of the apparatus, instead of being left open, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, should be closed to prevent the water from the sponge wetting the desk or papers. v

I thus produce a very useful and ornamental article ot' desk-furniture, the construction and appearance of which may be varied iniinitely wit-hout departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The herein-described representation of a head, the upper portion of which constitutes a sponge-cup, as set forth.

2. The combined pen-rack and pen-wiper herein described, consisting of a representation of a head formed in two sections, the upper one of which constitutes a sponge-cup,and having enlarged ears, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the representation of IOO 2 Meer@ Vthe tongue, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, substantially as herein set forth, of the representation ofa head formed in two parts, the upper one of which constitutes asponge-cup, and having enlarged ears, 15 the moving eyes, the pivoted corrugated plate to which the eyes are secured, the sponge-cavity, the reciprocating tongue, and the operating lever or levers.

EDWARD J. STELLWAGEN.

Witnesses:

E. G.'DAv1DsoN, WOODBURY LOWERY. 

